No More Buffy Birthdays
by Koohii Cafe
Summary: Buffy tried to warn him; Buffy Birthdays were never good. Ash was determined to change that, though, no matter what it took.


**Title:** No More Buffy Birthdays

**Author:** Koohii Cafe

**Rating:** K+

**Crossover:** BtVS/Evil Dead

**Disclaimer:** Since I am a poor chickadee with no wealth to speak of, I think it's safe to say that neither BtVS nor Evil Dead are mine. ^^;

**Written for:** TtH August Fic A Day Challenge

**Summary:** Buffy tried to warn him; Buffy Birthdays were never good. Ash was determined to change that, though, no matter what it took.

**Author's notes:** Comics? What comics? . This is set post season 7 for BtVS, and after the end of AoD for Evil Dead.

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><p><strong>No More Buffy Birthdays<strong>

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><p>"Did you miss the memo? Buffy Birthdays are <em>bad<em>." Hazel eyes met brown with a steady gaze, holding it easily as she tried to make sure he understood. Because there was no way she was going out for dinner on this disastrous day of all days. He could just forget it, and he'd probably come out the better if he did, because according to all history and logic, the best way to celebrate her birthday was to lay down and sleep all day so nothing could go wrong.

Of course, Ash had a mind of his own, and didn't really take orders very well.

"Nuh uh, no way, sister. I've been getting ready for tonight for longer than you can imagine. So you're gonna go into the bedroom, you're gonna get all dolled up like you like to when we go out, you're gonna march your butt out to the car, and we're gonna go to dinner. And you're gonna _like_ it, got it?"

Buffy glared. Ash pointed. She pouted. He smirked.

"_Fine_," she grumbled, scowl set in firmly. "But when some new breed of Deadite vampire crashes the party, don't blame me. I _tried_." And god, he was so insufferable when he got his way, which meant he was going to gloat all night. Secretly, though, she was glad he was making her go out. Last year's birthday had been a complete catastrophe, the last in a long line of ruined birthdays, that had ended in the blonde Slayer swearing up and down to never set foot outside of her home on her birthday again; maybe, just maybe, he would be right this time, and it would be a good night. Buffy snorted as she disappeared back into her bedroom to get ready. Yeah right, and maybe all the vampires would suddenly decide to embrace the sun. If only she were so lucky.

Half an hour later, she came out of the bedroom to find Ash waiting on her with an impatient look on his face, his foot tapping on the ground with arms crossed over his chest. It was a look that made her laugh, despite her misgivings about their dinner, because it was as near to a pout as he would ever admit to having. Buffy rolled her eyes a little when he turned to look at the sound of her laughter, and made her way over to his side in the, for once, sensible black pumps she'd matched with a pair of black dress slacks and a deep red-burgundy blouse. She knew she looked great, and at the same time, it was an outfit that would fair somewhat well even against Deadites, if it came to it. After all, there was no way she was escaping the night unscathed by _some_ kind of attack, that much she was certain of. Not that she was going to explain that to Ash, nor did she expect him to understand; after all, he'd only lived through one Buffy-Birthday so far. He'd learn.

"Wow, baby," he breathed, the annoyance disappearing from his expression, to be replaced by a mixture of awe, lust- and a hint of love. Even when his eyes dropped straight to the rather low cut of her neckline before sliding up to her face, she could see it. He'd only said it a handful of times, and she only a few times more, but it was there, and it brought a little warmth to her heart even on her birthday. "You look great."

"Thank," she answered, tiptoeing up to plant a quick peck on his cheek. "Let's get going. The sooner this is over, the better." Then, she turned and led the way to his car.

Dinner was a formal affair at the Cheesecake Factory, Ash's treat to the birthday girl, with a promise of as much cheesecake as she wanted after dinner. Her eyes twinkled at him from across the table, and she ordered modestly, with full knowledge of what this would cost him on the pay he made at S-Mart; he'd always been too prideful to take an offer to work for the Slayer's Council, instead insisting on providing for them himself, a trait she found rather adorable. He was strangely quiet, though, through the appetizers and main course, picking at his food rather than devouring it as he normally did. When the first deserts arrived, and he didn't dive into the fudge chocolate cake he'd ordered, his favorite, she knew something was wrong… and for something to be wrong on that night of all nights…

"Ash?" There was an undertone of concern to her voice, her brows furrowed as she watched him from across the table. He didn't answer at first, his gorgeous brown eyes darting away from her gaze, his hands lost beneath the table. "_Ash_. Hey, you alright?"

"Y- yeah," he finally stammered, a frown marred her features. She watched as he swiped his tongue across his lips, a habit she knew from experience was a nervous one, but before she could figure out why he was so anxious, he pushed abruptly back from the table. Her fork was set aside to watch him, cheesecake forgotten for the moment as he came around the wide table, one hand shoved deep in a pocket. Whatever he was fiddling with in that pocket was part of the anxiety in his eyes, a strange sight to see in Ash. Then, even as she watched, he inhaled deeply, and something in his gaze shifted. His jaw set a little, his expression firming, and then-

Even on one knee, he still looked down at her.

"Look," he began, his voice gruff. "I know I'm not the best guy on the block, and I know that you coulda had any guy you ever wanted. You're sexy, and gorgeous, and there's men out there who'd pay to have ya for even just a little while. And I'm just me, Ash, nothing special, other than bein' a magnet for Deadites, which you don't really need on top of the other crap you've gotta put up with for being the Slayer. I can't give ya much, and even saving up for this dinner's taken freaking forever. But- I'm selfish, damn it. And I want you more than anything else I've ever wanted, and I- I want ya for forever. So I'm gonna ask something, and if it's not what you want, then just say so. But if you do- then I wanna make this something different for ya. Cause if you do, then this's gonna be new, and we're gonna change history. Cause from now on, you'll be mine, and this day'll be ours. No more bad birthdays, Buff. Just anniversaries, if you'll marry me."

That night, with Ash staring down at her looking for all the world like that tough exterior would shatter if she said the wrong thing, Buffy said the only thing she could. She said 'yes.'


End file.
